二展室——镖行业务押镖的种类有：信镖（负责私人信件的传运)、物镖(承担货物的长途押运）、银镖（为官府及商家押运银两）、粮镖（为官府及商家押运粮食）、票镖（为票号运解银两及信件汇票）和人身镖（保护客户的人身安全）。押过唯一的一趟人身镖是在1900年八国联军入侵北京慈禧太后由北京逃往西安路过平遥时，由王正清的儿子王树茂保慈禧太后的人身安全。镖局走镖方式有三种：威武镖、仁义镖、暗镖，1、威武镖 是在在镖车上插一杆大旗，旗上写着镖师的名字。走镖时将镖旗拉至顶上，叫做拉贯顶旗。镖手们亮起嗓门喊起号子，或喊出镖局的江湖名号，这叫亮镖威。意思是让准备劫道的江湖朋友掂量一下，觉得惹不起的话就赶紧让道吧！这种走镖方法一般是一些后台比较过硬，江湖上有名望的镖局采用的走镖方法。2、仁义镖 要将镖旗下降一半，打十三太保长槌锣、五星锣或七星锣，意思是都是吃江湖饭的兄弟们，我先自降身份，希望江湖朋友们，各位英雄好汉们赏个脸，让个道。3、偷镖（暗镖） 如果沿途遇到强横难缠的地盘，既不卖面子又打不过人家，那就只能悄悄不做声，马摘铃、车打油，再把旗子收起来，偷偷摸摸地溜过去，这就是第三种走镖方式——暗镖。例如清朝末年，走南闯北的镖车，到了沧州时，都会扯下镖旗，悄然而过，不敢喊镖号。这叫：“镖不喊沧州”。否则，恐怕得吃不了兜着走了。究其原因，《武术汇宗》中有记载：“实则沧州一带，最出镖师，高人尽多也。”作为一名镖师出镖前必须要遵守三项处事原则，那就是带三分笑、让三分理、饮三分酒。（镖师虽身处江湖，行江湖之道，却普遍遵循“以和为贵”的原则，行为处事从不快意恩仇，而是十分谦和，待人接物总是面带三分笑容，尊老敬长，礼贤下士，实为谦谦君子，颇有绅士风范。凡事要礼让别人，不轻易与人发生矛盾。镖师饮酒只能饮三分，饮酒多了容易出意外，并且只有年纪渐长的镖师才能饮酒。） 除了一些处事原则以外，镖师还需要有一些生存技能，那就是三会一不。会搭炉灶（镖师走镖过程中，不一定都能找到旅店休息，风餐露宿，所以镖师要会搭炉灶做饭） 会修鞋（鞋在镖师的旅途中有着非常重要的作用。他们大部分时间都在行走，没一双合脚的鞋，将会是件很痛苦的事。虽然可备鞋或沿途买鞋，但新鞋不一定合脚。因此镖师们都得会修鞋，以不影响行走。）会理发：（走镖有时一走就是数月，而且极有可能是生活在恶劣的环境中。风尘仆仆，一副狼狈相，偶过城镇村屯，又免不了要去拜访地方势力，中国向来注重礼仪，拜访他人一般都会把自己修整干净和体面再去，这时镖师就得学会理发了，打扮自己了，这样一来，不仅自己不跌份，而且还可以显示镖局的实力。）不洗脸（镖师不洗脸有两个原因：一是因为在镖局的行话里，洗脸是到家的意思，如果镖师走镖洗脸就意味着这趟镖保完了，可以回家了。二是因为不洗脸有助于保护皮肤。大家可以去网上看一看西藏的攻略，很多人就会说最好早上别洗脸，因为西藏紫外线特强，脸上的油污也会对皮肤有保护作用。明白这一点，那么对于镖师不洗脸的原因也很好理解了。镖师不洗脸也是为了保护脸部，等到押镖结束后，镖师们才会用心的洗一次脸。所以，影视剧里镖师的脸白白净净的就不符合常理。）如果镖局出镖是走水路的话，则需要知道水路三规，为人不离船、昼寝夜醒、避讳妇人。第一规是“昼寝夜醒”。白天除了值班的镖师以外，其余的镖师都进舱酣睡，直到红日西斜才走出船舱，准备夜晚上岗。因为白天几乎不会发生拦河抢劫的事情，只有夜晚贼人才常常会前来偷袭，或偷或抢，镖师不得不防备。第二规是“人不离船”。运河沿线多是人烟稠密的地区，城、镇、村、集数里相望，一些繁华地段，茶楼、酒肆比比皆是。不但献艺者、卖唱者出没其间，村会、社戏亦属常见，运河之中“花船”、“江山船”(这些都是载妓女而行的船)经常是笙、管、笛、萧歌舞翩翩。但是镖师决不能登岸围观或者移船观看，因为走神将意味着失镖，镖师们不但不会离开船去看热闹，也不会离开船去追贼，怕中贼人调虎离山之计。第三规是“避讳妇人”。船家以船为家，妻女同舟，船家女在封建社会中是最开放的女性。其实不然，镖师向来重视武德，船家女亦守妇道，皆知自尊自重，恪守封建道德规范。出镖之前镖师要洗澡、每个镖师安排自己家的后事，因为镖师走镖途中不能洗脸，所以每次出镖前都要好好地洗一次澡。出镖途中很危险，每次镖师出镖都必须做好一去不回的准备，所以要安排好自己家里的后事。出镖之前祭拜关公，关羽重承诺，守信用，对刘备无限忠诚，同甘共苦，恪守信义，始终不渝。身在曹营不忘旧恩，挂印封金，千里走单骑，忠义一时无两。关公本名关羽，字云长，出生于公元160年，卒于公元219年。关公在其近六十年的一生中，策马横刀，驰骋疆场，征战群雄，辅佐刘备完成鼎立三分大业，谱写出一曲令人感慨万端的人生壮歌，被后人推举为“忠”“信”“义”“勇”集于一身的道德楷模，我们就是要学习关公身上的这种忠诚正义的精神。走镖过程中，镖师要知道三不离，武器不离身、衣服不离身、车马不离院（无论走在路上还是住店休息，武器都必须带在身上以防万一，衣服不离身，车马不离院，遇到危险情况以便迅速做出反应）。路途中如需要住店休息，但是住店也是有讲究的，有三不住这个规矩。新开之店不住（新开设的店因摸不透人心，保镖之人不会随意冒险，只要门上写有开业大吉的店，镖师都不住）、易主之店不住（换了老板的店，保不准人心叵测会有贼，保镖之人也不住）、娼妇之店不住（娼妇一般形容卑贱、品行地位低下的人，多用于辱骂、侮辱妇女。有些店内的娼妇会苦苦纠缠，使镖师中计丢镖，所以保镖之人一般不会冒险）。住店之后也需谨慎，有住店三要。（1）要看有无异象，住店先巡视一遍 ，看是否与贼人同住（2）要看有无异风店外要巡视一遍 ，看是否被贼人跟踪（3）要看有无异味厨房要检查一遍 ，看是否被贼人投毒。
Exhibition Hall 2 – Core Businesses of Armed Escort Agencies
Six Categories of Escort Missions
1. Mail Escort: Deliver private personal letters
2. Goods Escort: Provide long-distance transportation of merchandise
3. Silver Escort: Guard silver bullion for government authorities and merchants
4. Grain Escort: Transport grain for official and commercial clients
5. Draft Escort: Transfer silver funds, letters and bank drafts for ancient piaohao exchange shops
6. Personal Escort: Protect clients’ personal safety
The only recorded personal escort mission took place in 1900. When the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, Empress Dowager Cixi fled the capital for Xi’an and passed through Pingyao. Wang Shumao, son of Wang Zhengqing, escorted and safeguarded the Empress Dowager along the journey.
Three Classic Styles of Escort Travel
1. Prestige Escort
A large flag printed with the head escort’s surname was mounted on the cart and hoisted all the way to the top, a practice known as "full-top flag hoisting". Escorts shouted loud rallying cries or the agency’s renowned underworld title to broadcast their identity, called "displaying escort prestige". The purpose was to warn potential bandits to weigh their strength and step aside if they dared not fight. This method was only adopted by reputable agencies with powerful backers and wide fame across the rivers and lakes.
2. Benevolence Escort
The escort flag was lowered halfway, accompanied by the beating of special bronze gongs: the Thirteen Taibai Long Mallet Gong, Five-Star Gong or Seven-Star Gong. This gesture showed humility, conveying a message to all fellow wanderers: "I lower my status first; I beg all heroes to grant us safe passage."
3. Secret Escort (Dark Escort)
When traveling through ferocious territories where bandits offered no respect and could not be defeated, escorts moved silently: horse bells were removed, cart axles greased for quiet movement, and all flags stowed to slip past unnoticed. This stealthy mode was the secret escort.
In the late Qing Dynasty, all escort carts would take down their flags and pass through Cangzhou silently without shouting their agency’s slogans, following the ancient rule: No escort chants when passing Cangzhou. Breaking this custom would bring severe trouble. As recorded in Comprehensive Compendium of Martial Arts: "Cangzhou has long cultivated countless outstanding escort masters and martial arts virtuosos."
Three Fundamental Codes of Conduct Before Departure
Every escort abided by three maxims: Wear a faint smile, yield half the argument, drink only one-third cup of wine.
Though navigating the chaotic underworld, escorts upheld harmony as the highest principle. They avoided reckless vengeance and remained modest and courteous at all times: respecting elders, treating virtuous men with deference, and carrying the bearing of refined gentlemen. They yielded to others to avoid conflicts. Only senior escorts were allowed to drink, and merely a small amount — excessive alcohol would trigger accidents on the road.
Three Essential Survival Skills & One Unbreakable Taboo ("Three Masteries, On...
